Gas-producing apparatus



W. E ELLIOTT.

GAS PRODUCINGYAPPARATUS. APPUCATION FILED JAN. 1?. 1920.

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1 k MAI!!- v A TTOR/VEYS W. E. E LLIOTT. GAS PRODUCING A PARATUS. APPLICATION men JAN.17, 1920. L43Ufi33o Patented 00$. 3, 1922.

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W E. ELLIOTT.

GAS PRODUCING APPARATUS.

APPLiCATION FILED JAN. 17, 19 20.

Patented 0013.3,1922.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

4 TTORA/EVS w. E! ELUOTTf GAS PRODUCING APPARATUS.

IIIIIIIIIIIII LE D JA N H, 1920.

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a" "a" a" WILLIAM E. ELLIOTT, OF STRUTHERS, OHIO.

GAS-PRODUCING- APPARATUS.

Application filed January 17, 1920. Serial No. 352,193.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM E. ELLIOTT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Struthers, in the county of Mahoning and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas'Producing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an apparatus for producing combination water and coal gas, and more particularly to an apparatus for treating bituminous coal to produce water and coal gas.

The purpose of my invention is the provision of a gas producer of the type above specified which combines in a single apparatus gas producing, carbureting, and heating means to eliminate the separate apparatus generally requiredfor each of these means, with their attendant disadvantages; this combining of the several apparatus being accomplished in such manner as to greatly enrich the gases produced and to materially increase the gas producing capacity of the apparatus over similar apparatus heretofore proposed.

I will describe one form of gas producing apparatus embodying my invention and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view showing in horizontal longitudinal section one form of gas producing apparatus embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus shown in the preceding views.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view showing in perspective the retort shown in the preceding views.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring specifically to the drawings, B designates a retort benchpreferably formed of brick and of the contour shown in Fig ure 1. This bench B is preferably covered by an asbestos casing J, and as shown in Figure 4 such bench is divided longitudinally by means of partitions P and P into three separate and distinct compartments designated C, C and'C At a point above the compartments C,the bench B is formed with a slightly arched wall vV which is coextensive in length with the bench to provide a compartment K. Arranged centrally tort R at intervals throughout the length of the latter. Each port 15 etc., is controlled by a valve V which is formed of brick and manipulated to open or close the port through rod D which extends through a suitable opening formed in the top wall of the bench so that it can be manually operated from the top of the apparatus' 'lo effect a proper seating of the valve V within the ports, the retort R is recessed at points directly below'the ports as at 17 in Fig ure 5.

. As shown in Figure 4, an opening 18 is formed at the forward end of the retort R which communicates with a waste heat pipe H that extends eXte iorly of the bench to a remote point where it communicates with a boiler (not shown). The rear end of the retort'R is open to allow of the free passage of the gases into the retort whence they exit at the forward end into a pipe H which communicates with any standard form of gas purifying system in which a suitable fan Q is included or creating a suction within such pipe so as to withdraw the gases from the retort B.

At any point in the rear of the medial portion of the rotort a pipe H communicates with the top portion 15 for the purpose of introduc ng tar into the retort. The tar is preferably forced into the retort in the form of a spray by means of steam which is supplied to the tar pipe H through a pipe H the latter being connected to the boiler previouslymentioned so that this steam is generated by the waste heat from. the coal, thus eliminating the prov sion of a separate heating means.

.dLS sh wn in i igure 2, each compartment C is provided with a grate G which divides into a tire box F and an ash pit A. in predetermined quantities is supd to each fire box F through a hopper 18 Eli 'ed is top of the bench and communicating with pipe 19 which extends downwardly through the top wall of the bench and the wall VJ, its lower end being curved so to deliver the coal centrally of the fire box. Each pipe 19 is formed with a screen opening 19 through which he uses from the coal in the fire box are d to pass into the compartmentli. wn in Figures 2 and 4, the side walls the compartments C are formed with door controlled openings 20 through which be had to the ire box F and ash pits .lL .or inspection and cleaning purposes. shown in Figures 1 and 3, E, E and designate pipes for supplying blasts of air to the compartments C, C and C respectively. Each pipe is provided with two branches 2]. and 22, the former of which communicates with the corresponding ash pit and may be termed the primary air supply, while the latter communicates with a corresponding fire box F and may be med a secondary air supply pipe. The passage of air through each pipe is controlled by valves 21 and 22, respectively, these valves being of the standard cons -tl'uction and arranged preferably in the horizontal portion of the pipes. 3, a pipe controlled by a valve 6 communicates with the ash pit A of each compartment for the purpose of supplying steam to and beneath the coal in the fire box for a purpose which wiil be described hereinafter.

As illustrated toadvantage in Figures 1 and he retort R is provided with a plurality ofrectangular recesses 2a which are arranged in staggered relation to each other for the purpose of receiving and supporting on end a plurality of baffled members M. These members M are formed of brick and because of the staggered manner in which they are arranged, tortuous passages are termed within the retort which tend to retard the passage of therethrough as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The operation of the apparatusis as follows: After the coal has been introduced into the compartments C through the pipes '19 and ignited, blasts of air are admitted beneath the ash pits A by opening the valves 21 which obviously creates a draft that rapidly increases the intensity of the heat. As soon as the heat has reached the gas generating point the valves 21 are closed and a new supply of coal is admitted through the pipes 19, and the valves 6 are opened admitting jets of steam beneath the As shown in Figure upper end. th

' through burning coal. These jets of steam soften the ashes; the steam combining with the *ai'1descent coal or coke and forming water The green coal, reposing on top of the escent coal is partly-decomposed due to coming in con act with the hot coal beformiig coal gas. The steam drives too in sure of the two gases upwardly of the fire box and into the compartment rough the pipes 19 and the openings 19 As previously stated, a suction is creted within the pipe H so as to generate a in the direction of the forward end of the retort Under the action of this suction, the gases which enter the compartment ii. travel rearwardly and into the rear end of the retort as indicated by the arrows 'ure 1, itbeiunderstood that the ports 15 are closes. nuring'this operation. Upon entering the retort the gases imr it, and as a result the passage of the therethroi h is retarded, and at the time the lobules comprised in the a. broken up to eifect a more thorfixing of i1 gas. The purpose of re the n e of the gases through the is trf n the same therein for a time sufficient to allow all the by-products to be converted. in .o permanent Should e members M because of the cooling gases, during transit from the boxes retort, such carbon can be effectlvely to the andv t uiclrl v consumed by admitting short blasts of air to the fire b0 ad acent its air passing into the com pertinent K an finally into the retort R the several ports etc, bymoving the valves V to open such ports. This almission of air at different points along the iength of the r tort R effectively consuines the carbon in the retort, at thesame timebringing temperaturein the retort back to the proper degree for proper carburation.

Any tar which exists from the producer a result of incomplete conversion ,is returned to the retort through the pipe H after the secondary air has been admitted hrough tie ports 15. etc, it being under- ...tood that because of the intense heat generated within the retort the tar as it enters the retort is inn ediately turned into a fixed gas and finally passes outwardly through the pipe H.

o uqe against the faces of the battle members ghout the entire length of the on accuminate upon the surfaces of cations may be made herein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

WVhat I claim is: 1. A gas producing apparatus compri ing, a plurality of coal burning compartments, a retort above said compartments lengthwise through which gas passes, means for conducting the gases from the compartments to one end of said retort, valve controlled means for introducing air interiorly of the retort at points intermediate its ends, a suction pipe communicating with said retort, and means within the retort for retard ing the passage of gas therethrough.

2. A gas producing apparatus comprising, a plurality of coal burning compart' ments, a compartment above the first compartments and communicating with all of the same, a retort arranged within the second compartment and having one end in communication with said compartniient, ports formed at intervals throughout the length of said retort, means for controlling said ports, baffle members arranged in staggered relation within said retort, and suction pipe communicating with the opposite end of said retort.

3. A gas producing apparatus comprising, a plurality of coalburning compart ments, a second compartment communicating with all of said compartments and arranged above the same, a retort within the second compartment and overlying all of the first compartments, said retort having one open end communicating with said compartment and ports formed intermediate the ends thereof to effect communication between the second compartment and the interior of the retort, valves for controlling said ports, a suction pipe at that end oi the retort which is not in communication with the second compartment for creating a draft through the retort in the direct-ion of the pipe, and means within the retort for retarding the passage of fluids therethrough.

4. A gas producing apparatus comprising, a plurality of gas burning compartments, a retort overlying all of said compartments and having one end thereof in communication therewith, a suction pipe in communication with the opposite end of said retort for creating a draft through the retort to cause the gases from the first compartments to pass lengthwise through said retort, valve controlled means tor introducing gases from the first compartments into the retort at points intermediate its ends, and means for retarding the passage of gas through said retort.

5. A gas producing apparatus comprising, a plurality oi coal burning compartments, a retort overlying all of the compartments and having one end thereof communieating therewith, a suction pipe for creating a draft through said retort to cause the gases to enter the same at said end, means for introducing tar into said retort, and means for retarding: the passage of gases through said retort.

6. A gas producing apparatus compris ing-a bench divided into a plurality of com-- partnients, means For supplying coal to said compartments, a grate in each of said compartments arranged to provide a fire box and an ash pit, means for introducing blast of air below said grate, introducing steam belo I said grates, means for introducing biasts of airinto said fire boxes above the grates, a retort overlying said compartments and having one end thereof in communication with all of the same, valved ports formed in the retort intermediate its end, a suction pipe communicating with the opposite end of said retort for creating a suction through the retort in thedirection of the pipe, and means within said retort for retarding the passage of fluids therethrough.

7. gas producing apparatus compri ing a bench divided into a plurality of compartments, means for supplying coal to the compartments, a grate in each of said compartments arranged to divide'the same into a fire box and an ash pit, means for intensifying the heat generated by the coal in each compartment to a gas generating point, means -for softening the ashes within each of the compartments, means for supplying blasts of air to each compartment above the grates, a retort overlying all of said compartments and communicating at one end thereof with the same, valved ports in the retort between its ends, a suction pipe communicating with the opposite end of said. retort for creating a suction through the same, to draw the gases from the compartments into the retort, and battle members in the retort for fixing the gases as they traverse the retort.

8. A gas producing apparatus comprising, a bench divided into a plurality of compartments, each compartment comprising a fire box and an ash pit, means for supply ing coal to each compartment, means to introduce steam for softening the ashes within each compartment in, a manner to liberate and drive the gases from the coal within the fire boxes, a retort overlying all of the fire boxes, means for mixing and delivering the gases from the fire boxes to one end of the retort, suction means to draw the mixed gases longitudinally through the retort, and retarding means within the retort to bring about firing of the gases during transit.

9. A gas producing apparatus comprising, a bench divided into a plurality of compartments, each compartment comprising a fire box and an ash pit, means for supplying means torair and steam to each compartment, a retort overl 'ing all of said tire boxes and communicating at one end thereof with the same, a suction pipe communicating with the opposite end of said retort, ports formed in said retort intermediate its ends in manner to etlect communication between said compartments and said retort, and manually operable means for controlling said ports.

10. A retort for producing apparatus comprising, an elongated hollow member having flat bottom wall and curved side walls, the opposite ends 01" said member being open, and valved ports formed in the side walls thereof at intervals throughout the length of the walls.

11. A retort for gas producing apparatus comprising, a hollow member having a fiat bottom and a curved top, ports formed at intervals in said top, and valves controlling said ports.

12. A retort for gas producing apparatus comprising, a hollow member having a flat bottom and a curved top, ports formed at intervals in said top, said bottom being formed with staggered recesses, and bafiie members supported in said recesses.

13. A gas producing apparatus comprising, a bench divided into a plurality of separate and distinct coal burning "compartments, at :irst compartments and communicating with the same, a retort within the second compartment and communicating at one of its ends" with the same, and means for introducing coal to said compartments, each of said means comprising, a pipe extending clownwardly through the upper wall of said bench and through the second compartment, the lower end of said pipe being curved in the direction of the center of the corresponding compartment.

14. A gas producing apparatus comprising, a bench divided into a plurality of coal burning compartments, a wall above said compartments and arranged to provide a second compartment above the first compartments, pipes extending through the second compartment and said wall and into the first compartments, said pipes being provided with openings between their ends to eftect communication between the first compartments and the second compartment, and a retort within the said compartments and communicating at one of its ends with the latter.

WILLIAM E. ELLIOTT.

second compartment overlying the 

